By Bethannie Harriman – EM TV News, Lae
Rice grown throughout various parts of Papua New Guinea continues to form a major part of many a diet, and Trukai Industries remain committed helping local farmers to grow the country’s favourite staple.
Trukai Industries CEO, Greg Worthington-Eyre, said the company has now begun shipping rice from West New Britain, Central and the Oro province.
500 rice farmers that make up the Oro Rice Growers Cooperative initially agreed to supply Trukai with over 2,000 tonnes per year, but that agreement is expected to change when more farmers get involved.
Worthington-Eyre says a rice development purchasing agreement similar to that of West New Britain, Central and Morobe, is being discussed for Oro farmers.
“With the agreement more farmers would want to come on board, we’ll increase the planting area, increase the yield, hopefully through the rice, extensions, training and development that we will give them we’d be able to increase that yield and over the medium term we are hoping to purchasing anything up to 500 tonnes.”
Areas noted by the CEO to have produced quality yields include Magabaira in Central Province, where the company has purchased four hectares of rice, with an average of five tonnes per hectare.
Trukai is also pledging its support toward the national government’s agenda of nationwide food security during the dry spell that has currently hit the country.
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